Tides' Gunkel hurls seven shutout innings

So far this season, Joe Gunkel hasn't been the workhorse he was last summer in the Eastern League. He started to turn that around on Sunday.

"The last two outings, I didn't pitch a good game," he said. "The goal is to be building up my pitch count. Part of my game plan is to not throw a lot of pitches and go as deep into games as I can and help out the bullpen."

The Orioles' 18th-ranked prospect turned in seven innings of three-hit ball for his first Triple-A win as Norfolk blanked Syracuse, 6-0, at NBT Bank Stadium. He struck out three, walked two and lowered his ERA to 4.67 ERA in five starts since he was promoted from Double-A Bowie.

"It felt better than the past ones. I was able to locate the ball on both sides of the plate," Gunkel said. "I went with that game plan the whole time. I really wanted to attack hitters, and it worked out well."

Acquired from the Red Sox -- for whom he began his pro career as a reliever -- for Alejandro De Aza and cash considersations last June 3, Gunkel (1-2) went fewer than six innings only five times in 17 Eastern League starts last season, going 8-4 with a 2.59 ERA. He was 0-3 with a 3.66 ERA for Bowie this year but came into Sunday's start with a 6.30 ERA in four International League starts.

"I was just staying with the process," he said. "I had a couple bad outings, but if you to stick to your game plan, things are going to be good. Things work when you stick with what works."

All three hits the 24-year-old right-hander gave up were singles, one in each of the first three frames.

"The farther I got into the game, the more I got into my mechanics and could throw the ball where I wanted," he said. "I was able to keep it off the middle of the plate and in on guys' hands. I felt stronger the deeper I went into the game."

Gunkel retired nine in a row before walking Brian Goodwin with two outs in the sixth. He also walked 29th-ranked Nationals prospect Matt Skole leading off the seventh, then retired the next three batters. 

"In a game like that, with a big lead, you want to go after guys. You don't necessarily want to put anybody on base," he said. "I got out of my mechanics on my first two pitches [to Skole] and ended up walking him. I was staying with the process. With a baserunner on in a five-run game, you know that baserunner alone is not going to hurt you. I knew I had to just keep going after guys."

The West Chester University product threw 65 of 94 pitches for strikes.

"My pitch count was kind of high. I haven't gone deep into games consistently this year," Gunkel said. "That's part of it being early in the season -- I'm building up my pitch count. It was good step forward."

Chaz Roe worked the final two innings, allowing a hit and striking out two, to nail down the Tides' third shutout of the season.

Orioles No. 10 prospect Christian Walker was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored, while No. 19 prospect Mike Yastrzemski followed a three-hit game by going 2-for-3 with two doubles, a walk and three RBIs.

"We're starting to swing the bats real well," Gunkel said. "Yaz just came up from Double-A and he's been hitting the whole week here. There are a lot of good hitters on this team and they're starting to put it all together. We're going to be a really good hitting team."